Williams River Road opens to through traffic

The Monongahela National Forest has re-opened a section of the Williams River Road (Forest Road 86) that was closed for repairs on the Gauley Ranger District. The closure order has been lifted.

The road was closed to through traffic in November to repair a slide that was caused by damage from the June 2016 flood. The work is funded through the Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads Program and is administered by the Federal Highway Administration, Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division.

“We’d like to thank the Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division for their quick turnaround on this project,” District Ranger Richard Raione said. “I’m also grateful to the West Virginia Department of Transportation, Webster County Division of Highways, for their help in clearing debris from another slide that occurred this past summer just upstream of milepost 16.”

Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division has plans for additional work on both the Williams River Road and the Highland Scenic Highway next fall. Work on the Scenic Highway includes shoulder rehabilitation, culvert repairs, parking lot rehabilitation, and slide stabilization. Repairs on the Williams River Road include replacing two bridges and three culverts, bank stabilization between the road and the creek, adding shoulders, ditch reconditioning, and pavement rehabilitation.

Updates will be posted at www.fs.usda.gov/main/mnf/home, or call the Gauley Ranger District at 304-846-2695.